Arlington Community High School in Indianapolis, riding a 23-game losing streak, quickly began to triumph in the court of popular opinion after Tuesday’s girls basketball loss to Bloomington South, according to multiple media reports.

Final score: Bloomington South 107, Arlington 2.

Bloomington South coach Larry Winters told the Indianapolis Star that he understands the negative public reaction, which went viral Tuesday night and continued into Wednesday on Twitter and Facebook.

“I didn’t tell my girls to stop shooting because that would have been more embarrassing (to Arlington),” he said. “We were not trying to embarrass them or run up the score.”

Meanwhile, first-year Arlington coach Ebony Jackson told the newspaper that she respected the Bloomington South program but was disappointed with the way it handled the game on her team’s home floor.

“No, it’s not OK, but (Winters) will have to live with that,” she said. “If that’s how they want to carry themselves, that’s fine. I’m focused on me and mine, and we’ll just keep going.”

Arlington, 0-6 this season, scored its points on free throws, one in the second quarter and another in the third.

"(The score) is probably not what we would like to see,” Indiana High School Athletic Association spokesman Chris Kaufman told television station WRTV in Indianapolis.

On that, Winters agreed.

“It’s not a situation that’s any good for either team. Neither team benefits,” he said, while also praising Arlington’s players for continuing to play hard despite the score.

Jackson told the Star that her team has almost no basketball experience. According to the newspaper, the teams signed a two-year, two-game contract, but both coaches indicated the second game is unlikely to be played.

“It’s basketball,” Jackson told the Star. “You see where you are, and go out there and play. I’m not mad. He is running a great program. We’ll go back to the drawing board, and I’ll nurture my players.

“It’s been a trying season, a tough season (but) we’ll continue to get better and better. We’re about growth and improvement. That’s where the rewards come. You’ve got to start somewhere and I’m blessed.”